Carton sealing machine



Sept. 27, 1938.

w. A. JOPLI N CARTON SEALING MACHINE Filed April 21, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet l wag. a m

INVENTOR -1. Q ATTORNEY pt27, 1938.- i AQ'JOPLINV 1 2,131,62

' CARTON SEALING MACHINE Filed April 21, 1937 s Sheets-Sheet 2 \1 INVENTOR TORN Y S ept. 27, 1938. v V w JOPLIN I 2,131,625

. CARTON SEALING MACHINE V Filed April 21; 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR Y .JML QMQMLQ do ATTORNEY I Patented Sept. 27, 1938 VPAI'I'E T OFFICE can'ron SEALING MACHINE William A. Joplin, Wollaston, Mass, assignor to Pneumatic Scale Corporation, Limited, Quincy, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application April 21, 1937, Serial No. 138,209

9 Claims.

structures, arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and particularly defined in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the carton sealing machine; Fig. 2 is a plan of the same; Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a detail illustrating the mechanism for the application of the sealing tab, to be referred to; Fig. 5 is a sectional detail of a portion of the adhesive applying mech anism; and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the par- Y tially sealed carton.

In general, the present invention contemplates a carton sealing machine in which provision is made for introducing a tearing tab which may comprise a strong flexible strip of fabric or the like between certain of the top flaps of the sealed carton during the sealing thereof, in such a manner as to leave a portion of the strip projecting slightly beyond the carton to form a tab which may be conveniently grasped in order to tear open the carton. The sealing machine finds particular use in the production of a carton of the type having pouring holes formed in the underlying wider top flap, and wherein the tearing tab also functions to seal the pouring openings and to extend across the carton to permit a portion of the overlying wider top'fiap of the sealed carton to be torn away to thereby expose the pouring openings. In the preferred embodiment of the invention,

' the top sealing machine herein illustrated is particularly adapted to be used for sealing the top flaps of a carton as above described. Such a carton is illustrated in Fig. 6 and comprises a body portion l2 provided with end flaps I8, and side fiaps 26, 28. As herein shown, the end flaps I8, 20 are of such a. length as to permit the openings is provided in the side flap 26 to communicate with the material in the carton -.when the uppermost flap is torn away. The tearing strip is applied to the carton over the pouring openings with a short tab 2| extending beyond the carton to serve as a handle when in use. The remaining flap 28 is foldeddown and adhesively sealed on top of the tearing strip so that in the completely sealed carton the tearing strip is inserted between 5 the two side flaps 26, 28. For the purpose of fac litating the removal of the top flap so as to expose the openings IS, the uppermost flap 28 is provided witha weakened line such as a scored line or a line of perforations 23 which in the com- 10 pleted carton is positioned in alignment with the inner edge of the tearing strip so that when in use only the portion of the upper flap correspondingto the width of the tearing strip is removed to expose the pouring openings;

Referring nou to the drawings, the invention is illustrated as embodied in a top sealing machine which in general may comprise the machine forming the subject matter of the United States Patent 7 to Scales, No. 930,090, dated August 3, 1909, to 20 which reference may be had for a complete description thereof. For the purposes of the present invention only suilicient portions of the complete top sealing machine have been herein illustrated and will be described as will enable the in- 25 vention to be understood. In general, the machine illustrated in the drawings comprises a belt ID for conveying the cartons l2 from the filling mechanism or other point from which the filled cartons are to be supplied. The cartons are ar- 30 ranged to enter the machine, one at a time, in

' timed relation to the operating mechanism by the usual pusher arm M which releases the foremost carton in the line into the machine. The carton is now advancedto a position where it is engaged by one of a series of carrier arms' l6 mounted on a horizontally moving endless chain [1.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the cartons are successively moved through the machine past the various mechanisms for folding down the two 40 end flaps, applying adhesive to the flaps,'folding down one of the side flaps, applying a tearing strip, and, for thereafter closing the remaining flap-down upon the tearing strip and upon the top of the carton, as will be described.

As herein illustrated, the usual apparatus for tucking in the end flaps I8, 20 comprises a stationary curved and flared rail 22, positioned in the path of movement of the carton and a rotary tucker. which folds down the end flap 20 and follows along with the carton to tuck the flap under the'rail 22. The carton, with its side flaps 26, 20 horizontally extended and with the end flaps folded down is now advanced to the gluing device, generally indicated at Ill, where adhesive u r narrow strip of glue along the inner edge of the 2 is applied to the top of the extended flaps 26, 28

by a pair of glue rolls 32. At the same time, a strip of adhesive is applied to the underside of the flap 26 by a yieldingly mounted roll 34 which normally is urged against the upper roll 32, to receive the adhesive, before the carton passes through. The roll 34 is carried by an arm 36,

pivoted at 38 and having its outer end 48, urged v upwardly toward the roll 32 by a spring 42.

As shown in Fig. 5, the lower roll 34 applies a flap 26 and forms the surface against which the tearing strip is applied when the flap is folded down on top of the carton. The upper glue roll 32 receives adhesive in the usual manner from a spreading roll 44 running in a glue pct 46.

- As herein shown, the carton is supported 'at its lower end upon a horizontal track 48 on which I it travels and after passing the adhesive applying station 38, the fiap 26 is folded over upon the top of the package by a curved rail 58 and thereafter arrives at the tearing strip applying station, gen- ,erally indicated at 52, which will now be,

described.

As illustrated'in detail in Fig. 3, the tearing strip applying device is provided with mechanism for feeding a strip of material of a character difiicult to tear, such as fabric, reenforced paper, or the like, from a roll and for cutting off a predetermined length of the strip to-be applied to the carton. As herein shown, the roll of material 54 is supported above the mechanism upon a vertical rod 56 mounted in a bracket 58. The strip is guided around a vertical rod 68 and over idler rolls 62, 64, and between guides 66, 68. The strip is given a one quarter twist between the rod 68 and roll 62. The strip guides 66, 68 arearranged at an angle of degrees with respect to the top of the carton to facilitate the application of the strip to the carton, as will be described. The strip applying device is supported from the machine frame 8 in brackets 61 and the strip of material on the shaft 14. The lever 88 is provided with a holder 92 which carries a fibre plug 94. -The fibre plug 94 isarranged to frictionallyengage the'periphery of a.- disk 96 which is formed integrally with the feed roll 18.

In operation, when the cam 18 raises the arm 82 a cramping action results between the fibre plug 94 and thedisk 96 thereby causing the feed roll to be rotated in the manner of a ratchet feed.

On the return stroke of the arm 98, the fibre its down or return stroke. A spring I 82 urges plug slides along the periphery of the disk 96 without causing any movement of the feed roll. An arm 98, extended from the arm 98 carries a stop pin I88 against which the arm 88 rests on the cam roll 88 against its cam 18. 1

From the description thus far it will be observed that a predetermined length of the strip is fed into position to be cut off preparatory to being 7 applied to the carton. As herein shown, the cutoff knife I84 slidingly mounted in a cross bracket I86 is arranged to cooperate with a stationary shearing edge I88 forming a part of the lower guide bar 68. The knife I84 is arranged to be intermittently reciprocated by connections from a closed cam- II8 fixed to the cam shaft 16 and as herein shown, these connections comprise a cam roll II2, carried on an arm II4 which is fixed to a rocker shaft II6 and'a second arm 8.

fixed to the rocker shaft, connected to the knife I84 byarod I28. 4

As will be observed from inspection of Fig. 3, the strip 25 isfed into a position extending into the path of the oncoming. carton and during the operation of the machine, the strip is cut off just prior to the arrival of the carton. Upon the carton coming in contact with the extended end of the strip, it is pressed down on top of the carton by a stationary applying roll I28 which is mounted in an extension I22 fromthe-bracket 15. It

will be seen that in the operation of the machine the strip 251s initially grasped between the bite of the roll I28 and the corner of the oncoming carton and upon continued movement of the carton the strip is pulled from the guides 66, 68

and applied to the carton.

Provision is made for preventing the operation of the strip feeding mechanism when the supply of incoming cartons is depleted and to this end, a feeler finger I38 normally urged into the path of the cartons is arranged to lift a latch I32 when engaged by a carton, to permit the arm 82 to operate. If a carton is not at hand, the latch I32 will engage an extension I34 on the end of the arm 82 and thereby render the feeding mechanism inoperative. As herein shown, the feeler I38 is mounted on a shaft I36, supported in bearings I38, I48 which are secured to the carton side guides I 4|. An arm I42, also secured to the shaft I36 is connected by a rod I43 to one arm I44 of a bell crank, the other arm forming the latch I32. A spring I46 normally urges the finger I38 into the path of the cartons.

After leaving the strip applying device, the remaining flap 28 is folded down over the strip in any usual or preferred manner, asby the curved rails I58, I52 whereupon the carton is ejected from the machine into the usual pressure device I54 for setting the glued flaps.

The driving apparatus for the machine may in general comprise the apparatus shown in the Scales patent above referred to and as herein diagrammatically illustrated, see Figs. 1 and 2,

may include a pulley I68, driven in any usual or preferred manner, which is connected to the glue roll shaft I62 by cooperating gears I64, I66. The spreader roll shaft I68 is driven from the shaft I 62 through the gears. I18, I12. The outer .end of the glue roll shaft is provided with a sprocket I14twhich is connected by a chain I16 to a sprocket I18. The sprocket I18 is fast on the end'of a cross shaft I88 and is also provided with a bevel gear I82 which in cooperation with a bevel gear I84 serves to drive the carrier chain I1. The cam shaft 16 is driven from the shaft I88 by sprockets I86, I88 and chain I98. Provision is made for rotating the tucker arm 24 and, as herein shown, a sprocket I92 fast on the cam shaft 16 is connected by a chain I94 to a sprocket I96 fast on the tucker shaft I98. The chain I94 is guided over the rocker shaft II6 by an idler sprocket 288 While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated and described, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied inother forms within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described the invention. what is claimed is:

1. In a carton-sealing machine, in combination, carton supporting mechanism, mechanism for folding down the top flaps of the carton, cutting means for forming an individual tearing strip from a roll supply thereof and means for introducing the individual tearing stripthus formed between some of said. top flaps with an end thereof projecting beyond the carton.

2. In a carton sealing machine, in combination, carton supporting mechanism, means for folding down the narrower top flaps of the carton, means for then folding down one of the wider top, flaps of the carton, means for adhe-.

sively affixing a tearing strip to the upper surface of said wider of said top flaps, and means for thereafter folding down and adhesively affixing the remaining top flap upon the tearing strip.

3. In a carton sealing'machine, in combination, carton supporting mechanism, means for folding in the narrower top flaps of the carton, means for applying adhesive to both surfaces of one of the wider top flaps of the carton, means for folding in the narrower top flaps, means for applying adhesive. during the traverse of the carton through the machine to both the surfaces of one of the wider top flaps, and to one surface of the remaining top flap, means for then folding down the first mentioned wider top flap, strip feeding mechanism for feeding a tearing strip into a position where one end projects beyond the carton and the strip is laid down upon the adhesive surface of said'folded down wider top flap, and means for thereafter folding the remaining top flap to complete the closing of the carton.

5. In a carton sealing machine, in combination, carton conveying mechanism, means for folding down one of the wider top flaps, means for applying adhesive to the upper surface thereof, means for feeding a tearing strip into a position to be engaged by the forward edge of the upper surface of the carton, means for applv nssaidtearingstrlptotheupp rsurfsce of said previously folded down wider top flap. v

and means for thereafter folding down the remaining top flap.

8. In a carton sealing machine, in combination, carton conveying mechanism, means for folding downone of the wider top flaps, means for applying adhesive to the upper surface thereof, means for feeding a tearing strip into a position to be engaged by the forward edge of the upper surface of the carton, means for applying said tearing strip to the upper surface of said previously folded down wider top flap including a roll adapted to roll said tearing strip onto the upper surface ofthe carton as, the carton traverses beneath the same,,and means for thereafter folding the remaining top flap tocomplete the closing of the carton.

7. In a carton sealing machine, in combina tion, carton conveyingmechanism, folding means for folding in the narrower top flaps of the carton, means for applying adhesiveto theupper surface of one of the wider top flaps of the carton, means for folding the same into operative carton closing position, strip feeding mechanism for feeding a tearing strip from a supply thereof into a position to be engaged by the carton, mechanism for severing the strip-to form an individual tearing strip, mechanism for applying the individual tearing strip to the surface of the folded down wider top flap, and mechanism for thereafter folding down the remaining top flap to complete the closing of the carton.

8. In a carton sealingv machine, in combination, means for conveying a supply of cartons into the machine, means for folding down the top flaps of the carton, strip feeding mechanism for feeding a tearing strip into a position to v be interposed between some of the top flaps of the carton during the folding thereof, cutting means for forming an individual tearing strip prior to its complete application to the carton and control mechanism for discontinuing the operation of the strip feed in the event of the absence of a carton.

9. In a carton sealing machine, in combination, carton conveying mechanism, means for successively folding some of the top flaps'of the carton, cutting means for forming an individual tearing strip from a supply thereof and strip feeding mechanism operative to interpose the individual tearing strip thus formed between some of the flaps of the carton and between the folding of successive flaps. I 1 wnmsu a. Jornm. 

